Party Hierarchy
by dreamoverdrive
Summary: Of bad boys and tennis captains.


This really wasn't Kai's kind of party.

For one thing, everyone was giggling over the tops of their beers, intoxicated by the mere sense of doing at least _something _wrong. A couple jocks were shoving around, still bellowing elations from their win at the football game several hours earlier. Girls draped themselves over walls and furniture, accentuating their laboriously-chosen outfit of the night.

In other words, the whole thing was a drag.

It was a bunch of over-grown kids playing make believe to catch a taste of what wild felt like. Kai felt exhausted just looking at them all. He slid a cigarette out of his jeans pocket, trying not to think of why he had come in the first place.

He knew she didn't go to parties but he had clung to some kind of hope that maybe this one would have just enough prep to lure her out. He'd side-eyed her for the entire game, watching her reluctant participation in the excitement. A half hearted smile and straying brown eyes—it drove him mad. It was nearly enough to make him get up from his spot amongst the stoners to go and sit with the pretty tennis captain. Damn the social hierarchy to hell and back, would it really be so horrible for them to have one conversation?

The click of a lighter and the first puff of smoke and Kai was still unhappy. He checked his phone. If he wasted another hour here he would never forgive himself. He straightened the sleeves of his jacket and was turning to just when suddenly-

"I don't think they let people smoke in here."

He yelped at the voice he was used to hearing answering discussion questions in AP Lit. He had never imagined (ok, maybe he had and that was why he was here) that it would ever be directed at him.

He spun around to face disapproving eyes and a quirked mouth. He immediately ground the fresh cigarette out, suddenly ashamed of something he had never really thought of before. He shoved the messy remains into his pocket to deal with later and tried to flash a smile that was leaning much closer to a cringe.

"I'm sorry." The words came out more sincere than he had tried to make them and she gave him a small smile.

"It's alright. You don't seem like the kind of person to do it out of spite."

He shook his head and stuck out his hand. "I'm Kai."

She looked at the hand in surprise before taking it, eyes roving curiously over his face. "I'm Jinora."

"You're in my AP Lit and Gov with me. I sit in the back."

"I know." They were both surprised at her quick reply and she blushed. "I mean, I see you around all the time. You have ceramics before me. They always use your work as an example…"

She faded off and stared at the ground. Kai felt a small measure of his confidence returning, if only a little. "It's ok. I've noticed you, too."

_That wasn't creepy at all._

She didn't edge away and she even looked a little relieved. "I wonder why we've never spoke before. I think we had some classes together last year, too?"

He leaned against the wall uncomfortably. "Yeah, well the kids in AP classes don't usually deign to associate with me."

If she heard the prideful bitterness in his voice she didn't show it. She just looked at him with greater interest. "I don't see why not. You seem bright."

Her strange word choice made him glance down to make sure that yes, he was still in the black leather jacket and frayed t-shirt. He still had rumpled hair and a distinct air of scruffiness. There was absolutely nothing about him that fit bright or its connotations. He was about to ask her what she meant when someone called from the other side of the room.

"Hey, Jinora! What are you doing here?!"

Jinora glanced over at the cluster of people on the couch beckoning her over. She looked back at Kai apologetically. "Um, I think I had better get over there."

She turned to leave, a short curtain of hair shrouding her face. Kai reacted with impulse rather than tact. His hand shot out and grabbed hers and she froze. Kai immediately loosened his grip, giving her the ability to yank away the instant she felt the urge to. Words poured out of him in a nearly incoherent stream.

"Hey, I know you're book club president and I was wondering if maybe you could give me some recommendations? Please?"

It was ridiculous and out of nowhere but Kai couldn't just let this encounter be the only one they had. He couldn't spend another week glancing at her at football games and pining over the back of head in class. Rejection or not, he had to know if this would ever work at all. Whatever _this_ was.

Her eyes widened and softened. Something flickered there and Kai caught his breath. She squeezed his hand. "Let's meet tomorrow. I'd _love_ to."

"Great," he breathed, overwhelmed by the flood of relief. "That would be great."

She grinned and her hand slid out of his grip. "You better be at the library when lunch starts. I don't do second dates with no shows."

_Wait, what?_

But she was already moving through the mix of people over her impatient friends on the couch. Maybe it was best because Kai felt a dreamy smile work its way onto his face that probably would have been very embarrassing had she stayed around to see it.

He turned to leave in a daze and he felt very glad that he had asked her about the book club rather than accidentally offering to join the tennis team.

* * *

><p><strong>This was a quick little request I got on tumblr. Feel free to send one if you like! My url is on my author page. <strong>


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